Recap: Anaheim vs. Chicago

Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Marian Hossa registered a goal and an assist and Corey Crawford posted a 29-save shutout, as the Chicago Blackhawks blanked the Anaheim Ducks, 2-0, on Wednesday at Honda Center.

Hossa scored his 24th of the season 39 seconds into the second period and assisted on a Jonathan Toews tally late in the third to help Chicago secure its third win in four games and pull within one point of Anaheim for the best record in the NHL.

"It is always nice to get a shutout but catching up to them at little bit, that's what is important," Crawford said.

Jonas Hiller allowed both goals on 25 shots for the Ducks, who wrapped up a five-game homestand at 1-4-0.

"We played a good game," Anaheim head coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We put in a really good effort. We're not gonna sit and cry about it."

Following a scoreless first frame that saw Crawford stop 15 shots, the Blackhawks broke through less than a minute into the second.

Patrick Sharp carried the disc down the left side and into the Anaheim zone before sliding a pass to the inner half of the right circle for Hossa, who weaved through the slot and waited for Hiller to drop before roofing the disc from the low left side for a 1-0 lead.

Chicago's Michal Rozsival was sent off for a high-sticking double-minor at 16:11 of the second, but the Blackhawks killed off the extended man-advantage to maintain their one-goal edge.

Hossa helped put the game away late in the third, as he came up with a turnover deep in the Anaheim end before tapping the puck to Toews, who split two defenders in the right circle and snuck a writer under Hiller's left arm for a 2-0 lead with 2:31 to play.

Crawford capped his first shutout of the season and ninth of his career with six saves over the final 20 minutes.

Game Notes

Anaheim's three-game slide is the team's longest since an 0-3-2 skid from Nov.
12-20 of this season ... The Blackhawks will visit the Phoenix Coyotes on
Friday for their final game before the Olympic break, while Anaheim will visit
Nashville on Saturday before going on hiatus for the Winter Games ... Anaheim
went 0-for-5 on the power play, while Chicago finished 0-for-2.